Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Puerto Princesa Cost of Living Comparison Between Baguio and Puerto Princesa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Baguio versus $809 in Puerto Princesa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Baguio versus $1,180 in Puerto Princesa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,520 in Baguio versus $1,550 in Puerto Princesa.

Living in Baguio costs roughly 3% less than in Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baguio 41% lower, Puerto Princesa 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 ₱220

$4.10 ₱253

-12.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.38 ₱825

$26.71 ₱1,647

-49.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.64 ₱162

$4.27 ₱263

-38.17%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱145

$2.46 ₱152

-4.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₱40.14

$0.68 ₱41.75

-4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱23.18

$0.38 ₱23.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₱85.5

$1.26 ₱77.5

10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₱117

$1.72 ₱106

9.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₱116

$1.53 ₱94.5

22.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.4

$1.17 ₱72.1

1.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ₱68.8

$0.84 ₱51.8

33.33%

Eggs

$2.22 ₱137

$1.88 ₱116

18.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 ₱568

$8.83 ₱544

4.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₱231

$5.03 ₱310

-25.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.33 ₱514

$6.23 ₱384

33.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ₱169

$3.51 ₱216

-21.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱111

$0.93 ₱57.3

93.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$3.48 ₱214

-31.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱74.3

$0.90 ₱55.6

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$1.80 ₱111

0.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$1.37 ₱84.4

67.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₱45.12

$1.05 ₱64.6

-30.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.25

$0.73 ₱45.28

-1.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ₱201

$2.95 ₱182

10.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 ₱560

$7.18 ₱443

26.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₱65.5

$1.13 ₱69.6

-6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₱143

$1.80 ₱111

28.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.91

$0.28 ₱17.47

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱669

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 ₱57.0

$1.81 ₱112

-49.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.88

$0.22 ₱13.50

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ₱148

$2.10 ₱129

14.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱69.0

$1.21 ₱74.7

-7.44%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.8K ₱2.0M

$14.4K ₱890.6K

120.08%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.3K ₱1.3M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

-0.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$147 ₱9,087

$122 ₱7,495

21.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.37 ₱2,181

$13.69 ₱844

158.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.43 ₱1,630

$34.56 ₱2,131

-23.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 ₱1,380

$26.23 ₱1,618

-14.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.18 ₱257

$4.33 ₱267

-3.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 ₱346

$5.30 ₱327

5.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$154 ₱9,495

$62.5 ₱3,856

146.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,706 ₱290.2K

$4,255 ₱262.4K

10.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 ₱2,947

$45.30 ₱2,793

5.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.10 ₱1,671

$26.63 ₱1,642

1.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,690

$75.2 ₱4,640

1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.80 ₱2,824

$52.3 ₱3,222

-12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₱21.3K

$291 ₱18.0K

18.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₱8,959

$228 ₱14.0K

-36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ₱33.8K

$439 ₱27.0K

25.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$314 ₱19.4K

-16.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,417 ₱149.1K

$2,418 ₱149.1K

-0.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$933 ₱57.5K

$970 ₱59.8K

-3.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 ₱11.2K

$223 ₱13.7K

-18.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

8.25

-45.45%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Baguio: June 2, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Baguio and $291 in Puerto Princesa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Princesa pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $13.00 in Baguio vs $27.00 in Puerto Princesa. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $195, with Puerto Princesa cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Baguio vs Puerto Princesa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Puerto Princesa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Puerto Princesa earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $345 in Baguio versus $291 in Puerto Princesa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Puerto Princesa pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $788 per month in Baguio versus $809 in Puerto Princesa – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Baguio gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $788 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baguio and Puerto Princesa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Puerto Princesa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.